1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to Thymosin alpha 1 peptides.
2. Description of the Background Art
Thymosin alpha 1 (sometimes referred to as TA1) is a 28-amino acid thymic peptide with immunomodulatory properties, homologous to a natural product originally isolated from thymosin fraction 5 of calf thymus. Its biological effects include augmentation of T lymphocyte functions and include modulation of interleukin-2 (IL-2), stimulation of interferon-γ production, induction of T lymphocytes and NK cell activity, and stimulation of thymopoiesis. Thymosin alpha 1 also has been shown to up-regulate MHC Class I expression.
There remains a need in the art for improved compositions containing TA1 and related peptides.